Jack mechanism



AprfiB 29, 1941. F. M. WILLARD JACK MECHANISM Filed March 16, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Hank M Willard April 29, 1941. F. M. WILLARD JACK MECHANISM Filed March 16, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 29, 194i Application 16, 1939, No. 262,254

This invention relates to an improved jack system or mechanism particularly adapted for trailer vehicles.

More particularly, it is an aim of this invention to provide a plurality of extension jacks pivotally connected to the axles of a trailer vehicle and disposed adjacent the wheels thereof and provided with means whereby they may be selectively released for raising one-or all of the wheels of the vehicle.

It is a further aim of this invention to provide a jack system for two of four wheeled trailers whereby the jacks may all be released so that by moving the vehicle in one direction all of the wheels thereof will be elevated and by moving the vehicle in the opposite direction it may be moved off of all of the jacks. v

Still a further aim of the invention is to provide a mechanism whereby the jacks may be readily raised and lowered, and whereby the jacks, when being lowered, can not bemoved past a vertical position so that the vehicle can be raised only by being moved in one direction and may be lowered on of the jacks only by being moved in the oposite direction.

Still a further aim of the invention is to provide means whereby the jacks, when in an operable position, will be offset relatively to the axles to prevent the vehicle from moving off the jacks in one direction, and means associated with the raising and lowering means for the jacks for preventin the vehicle from moving off of the jacks in the opposite direction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure I is a side elevational view of a twowheeled trailer equipped with the jack mechanism and showing one of the jacks in an elevated position,

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the jack in a lowered or operable position,

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of one of the jacks,

Figure 4 is a rear elevational view of the same looking from the right of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the jack mechanism applied to a four-wheeled vehicle,

Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of the fourwheeled vehicle showing the jacks in an elevated inoperable position,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the bracket for holding the chains for supporting the jacks in'an elevated position, and

Figure 9 is a similar view showing the combined brackets and guide members for limitins the movement of the jacks.

Referring more particularly to the drawinsfl. wherein like reference characters designated like or corresponding parts throughout the different views, is designates generally a two-wheeled trailer provided with a single pair of wheels ii journaled on the ends of an axle l2. In Figures 6 and 7 a four-wheeled trailer i0 provided with four wheels II and two axles I2 is shown. The vehicles In and I0 are shown merely to illustrate the application of the jack system or mechanism, comprising this invention, and which will hereinafter be described.

The invention includes a plurality of Jack members, designated generally it, and each comprising a standard, designated generally it formed of the sections is and it. A head I! is secured to the upper end of the upper section it, or may be formed integral therewith, and is preferably enlarged to provide a portion which is offset relatively to the shank it. In the upper edge of this oflset portion is provided a semicircular groove id. A plate I9 is removably secured along the upper edge of the head I! by means of the fastening 20 and is provided with an arcuately shaped portion 2! which aligns with the groove is to provide the transverse opening 22, for a purpose which will hereinafter be described. A foot 23 is secured to or formed integral with the lower end of the lower section I6 and is offset relatively to the shank or standard It with its offset end extending in the same direction as the offset portion of head H. The opposite end of the foot 28 is provided with a depending cleat 28, extending the width thereof, for a purpose which will hereinafter be described.

Standard sections i5 and it are provided in their abutting sides with corresponding notches 25 which extend in opposite directions to form the downwardly facing shoulders 26 in the section it which are adapted to rest upon the upwardly facing corresponding shoulders 2! in the section i6 when some or all of the notches 25 of the two sections are in engagement, as illustrated in Figure 4. Sections i5 and it are provided with the longitudinal slots 28 through which are adapted to extend bolts having threaded free ends to receive nuts to form the clamping fastenings 29 by means of which the notches 25 of the two sections may be clamped together for thereby adjusting the standards It to any of a plurality of lengths.

Openings 22 form bearings adapted to loosely engage the axle or axles i2 for pivotally mounting the jacks i3 relatively thereto. In either the two or four wheeled type trailer, the jacks it are mounted on the axle or axles l2 so that the oil? set portion of the head i! and the offset end of the foot 23 of each of the jacks i3 project in the same direction, which is preferably toward the rear end of the vehicle, as illustrated in Figures 1, 6 and 'l. The feet 23 at their oflset ends are provided with eye screws 30 to which are connected corresponding ends of the flexible members ll, which as illustrated, may be in the form of chains. A pulley 81 is provided on the under side of either of the vehicles II or III for each of .the flexible members II and the pulley 32 of each II and I. and disposed directly'above the members II, and spaced therefrom, are the U-shaped brackets 84 which project outwardly from the back'end of the vehicles It or II. A cross bar or handle 38 is secured to the free end of each of the flexible members or chains Si by means of a depending apertured car 36, which is disposed intermediate oi' the ends of the bar II and to which the free end of each of the flexible members II is secured. The bars or handles ll are provided with notches I! in their under sides and adjacent their ends to engage the legs of the brackets 34.

From the foregoing it will be seen. that the jacks it on either the two or four wheeled trailer may be raised to an inoperable position by being swung rearwardly by pulling the handle portions II of the flexible members I to which the Jacks are connected and may be held in a raised position by passing the bars I! through the brackets 34 and positioning the bars so that the notches 31 rest on the legs of the brackets 34, as illustrated in Figure 8, to retain the jacks in an elevated position. The distance between the brackets 33 and the brackets 34 with which each flexible member or chain ii is associated is equal to the distance that the foot 23 of each jack it travels from its fully raised pontion, as seen in Figure 1, to its fully lowered position, as seen .inFigure2,sothatthecrossbarsIlcanbereleased from the brackets 34 to lower the jacks II and positioned to engage the legs 'of the brackets 33 so that when the Jacks I! are in a fully lowered position or in a vertical position the chains or flexible members 3i will be taut. In this manner the flexible members ii are set to prevent'the jacks II from swinging beyond a vertical position. Any one wheel of either trailer II or it. may be elevated by releasing its flexible member ti and setting it as heretofore described and then backing the. trailer onto the lowered jack, or all of the wheels of either trailer may be raised simultaneously by releasing and setting each chain and then backing the trailer ontothe Jacks. By offsetting the head and feet 23 so that the standards it will be disposed forward of the axles II, as best illustrated in Figure 2, will prevent the trailer from accidentally moving forward and oi! oi its jacks. The trailers will be prevented from moving rearwardly and oil of their jacks due to the chains II which are taut when the jacks are in their lowered positions thereby preventing the jacks from swinging forward. The cleats 24, as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure l, are adapted to engage the supporting surface of the wheels ii when lowered to prevent the feet 23 from sliding so that when the trailers it or II are pushed rearwardlytheiacks itwillswingunderthe traileraxlestoraisethewheels Ii.

various modiflcations and changes in the precise construction and arrangement of the parts forming the invention are contemplated and may obviousiyberesorted tmandthe rightistherefore expressly reserved to makssuch modifications and changes as do not depart i'romthespirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter deflned by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Avehicleiackastandardiormed of sections, a head secured to the remote end of one of said sections and offset relatively thereto. theoflsetportionottheheadbeingpivotally connectedtothe axleofavehicleforoflsetting the standard relativelytotheverticalplsneot the axle when the standard is in an M, supporting position a foot connected to the re moteendof the othersectionandoflsetinthe same directlontherefromasthehead andinthe oppodte direction relatively to which the standard is onset from the axle, and said foot being provided with a depending flange at the end opposite to said offset end.

2.Adeviceasinclaimlcomprisingflexible,

means secured to and projecting away from the oflset end of said foot and extending beyond an end of the vehicle for raising and lowering the jack, and means carried by said vehicle for engaging said flexible means for limiting the movement of the lack toward an operable position. 3. A vehicle lack comprising a standard, a head formed on one end of the standard and provided-with an opening for loosely engaging an axle of a vehicle for pivotally mounting the jack thereon, said opening being oii'set relativelytotheaxisoftbestandardsothatthestandard, when in an upright position will be offset relatively to the vertical plane of the axle, a foot on the opposite 'endoi' the-standard for engaging a supporting surface, and means for raising and lowering the jack, said foot comps-ising a plate attachedadiacent one end to the standard, the foot being oifset relatively to said standard in the same direction as the opening in the head.

4. A vehicle jack comprising a standard, a head formed on one end of the standard and provided with an opening for loosely engaging an axle of a vehicle for pivotally mounting the jack thereon, said opening being oflset relatively to theaxisofthestandardsothatthestandud, when in an upright-position will be offset relatively to the vertical plane of the axle, a foot on the opposite end of the standard for engaging a supporting surface, and means for raising and lowering the jack, said foot comprising a plate attached adjacent one end tothe standard, the foot being oflset relatively to said standard in the same direction as the opening in the head, said raising and lowering means comprising a flexible member connected at one end to the last mentioned end of said foot\ior raising and lowering the jack, and a keeper flxed to the vehicle for limiting the movement of the flexible member to prevent the Jack from swinging in one direction past an upright position.

FRANKM. WILLARD. 

